The Spireites recorded a 4-2 victory at AFC Fylde with goals from Tyrone Williams, Liam Mandeville, Will Grigg and Ryan Colclough.
After being 4-0 up, substitute Jonathan Ustabasi triggered a home fight back and they increased the pressure with a late second but it wasn’t enough to deny the Spireites as they made it two wins from two.
After a three-year absence the Coasters hosted their season’s opening home National League fixture at Mill Farm keen to improve on the hard-fought single point they secured at Maidenhead the previous weekend, having recovered from an early two goal deficit and a red card before they levelled through ex-Spireite Alex Whitmore
Chesterfield experienced a similarly tough challenge in their opener and eventually grabbed an added-time winner in a 4-3 thriller at home to Dorking Wanderers, again having come from behind.
Those two fightbacks shows the spirit in both camps and both managers were expecting a tough challenge.
There were no new injury worries for the Spireites as Bailey Clements remains sidelined and hoping to resume light training soon. Paul Cook chose to make no changes from the Dorking starting line-up; even on the bench there was just one alteration as yesterday’s new signing from Macclesfield, James Berry, took the place of the now-departed Jez Uchegbulam.
Fylde kicked off with the earlier rain now stopped, the wind light and more than a hint of blue in the sky; Chesterfield chose to defend the end that housed the massed ranks of over 1,200 Spireites.
It was a lively opening spell with the home side pushing forward strongly without creating. The Spireites’ first serious foray saw Colclough receive wide right, cut inside the penalty area and try his luck; his effort was deflected for the games first corner, taken by Mandeville, a great ball in from Ollie Banks saw Jamie Grimes head down into the path of Williams who poked coolly home.
Colclough was fouled, centrally, five yards outside the box. Mandeville was hoping to repeat his great strike from the previous week, instead his effort sailed over the cross bar.
Gold Omatayo was making his debut for the home side and was looking a handful to the extent that it looked safer to concede a corner; from the flag kick the ball found Danny Whitehead who hit a screamer from 20 yards and forced Harry Tyrer into a superb push to safety.
A great ball from Ryheem Sheckleford on the right found the head of Armando Dobra who couldn’t take advantage of a great opening and headed over
A neat move between Nick Haughton and Luke Conlan saw the final ball produce another flag kick for the home side, one that prompted a hand ball shout from Fylde but not a claim that referee Paul Cooper listened to.
Moments later Fylde gained a free-kick in a central position 25 yards out, Haughton stepped up and hit a cracker against the crossbar with no home player able to capitalise on the loose ball.
On 35 minutes it should have been two! Colclough burst down the right and provided the perfect pass for Dobra who just needed to slot home but instead hit wide of the left upright.
That disappointment didn’t last long as a a great three-man move increased the Spireites’ lead. Branden Horton, on the left, fed Dobra in the area who selflessly turned and played the perfect pass for Mandeville to spot a gap and power home.
The ball ran kindly for Josh Kay to try a curler into the top left corner; the idea was right but the execution flawed as Tyrer was able to watch it fly to safety.
There was still time for the Spireites to increase their lead…..but what a crazy way to do it. From 35 yards Josh Kay passed back to his keeper Theo Richardson who misjudged and allowed the ball to run through his legs; meanwhile Will Grigg had followed and chased and picked up the loose ball and tapped gleefully home for his first league goal for the Spireites.
Williams had indicated he was struggling as he came off at the interval and he duly made way for Ash Palmer at the start of the second period.
Fylde had an early opening just a couple of minutes into the half, Luke Charman ran well with the ball into the area but his shot was wasteful and wide of Tyrer’s right upright.
A through ball in the 49th minute found Colclough on the right, he ran and ran before deciding to hit, his shot was unstoppable as it flew into the top left corner to send the travelling Spireites into raptures.
The Spireites continued to press forward; an Ollie Banks through ball found Colclough who received wide right and hit a teasing ball across the face of goal that couldn’t find a taker.
Dobra was fouled just outside the area; Banks stepped up but blasted straight into the Fylde defensive wall. Moments later Dobra burst determinedly into box and fired goalbound, a deflection brought a corner but no further danger.
The Spireites lost possession cheaply and the ball broke to Coasters’ substitute Jonathan Ustabasi who proceeded to go go on a run that didn’t end until he reached the area and hit powerfully home into the top left of the goal to notch his first goal for the club.
Moments later it was almost two; Gold Omotayo’s effort rolled inches wide of the upright.
Ollie Banks saved the day as he cleared Emeka Obiki’s header off the line but it wasn’t long before Fylde struck as Harry Davis headed home to set up a nervy six added minutes. Moments before the end the game took another twist as goalscorer Davis received a second yellow card and left Fylde a man short for the remaining seconds.
Chesterfield: Tyrer, Horton, Naylor, Grimes, Mandeville, Grigg (Quigley 70), Colclough (Jacobs 70), Williams (Palmer 46), Dobra, Sheckleford the , Banks
Substitutes not used: Oldaker, Berry
Attendance: 2,395
Referee: Paul Cooper
